There are many examples of composite cartons and other containers commonly used in the packaging industry which comprise separate end pieces which have been adhesively attached to one or more open ends of such cartons and/or containers. There are a substantial number of patents disclosing apparatus and methods for the application of adhesive to the upper edges of cylindrically shaped containers in particular. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,447,528, which issued to H. J. Paynter on Aug. 24, 1948, discloses a machine for applying liquid glue to the inner and outer upper edge portions of a cylindrical fiber container body. In particular, the Paynter patent describes a rotary device including a disk and a co-acting ring which rotate in unison while holding the cylindrical container body therebetween, thereby transferring adhesive carried by the disk and the ring to the inner and outer marginal edge portions of the container body. The disk and ring are spaced apart from one another at a distance slightly less than the thickness of the container body, so that pressure can be brought against the body to hold the container therebetween and facillitate application of glue thereto. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 2,365,775, which issued to W. F. Punte on Dec. 26, 1944, illustrates an adhesive applying apparatus for cylindrical paper containers. Like the Paynter container treating machine, the Punte reference suggests an apparatus which places one end of a cylindrical container body between a pair of adhesive applicator rolls such that one of the applicator rolls engages the inside surface of the container body, while the other applicator rolls contacts the outside surface. The applicator rolls are equipped with adhesive reservoirs which deposit a predetermined coating of adhesive on the outer surfaces of such applicator rolls. In use, the Punte apparatus rotates the container body between these adjacent applicator rolls thereby applying adhesive to both the inner and outer surfaces of the container simultaneously.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,124,722, which issued to C. T. Walter on July 26, 1938, concerns an apparatus for applying material to the ends of tubular containers, wherein the tubular containers are rotated as they are passed by a revolving material applicator wheel. In particular, Walter describes an apparatus wherein a continuous film of congealable material is maintained on a revolving applicator wheel, and a cylindrical container is brought into tangential engagement with such revolving applicator wheel and moved across the surface thereof, thereby causing such material to be deposited on the distal edge of the container body in contact with the revolving applicator wheel and along the inner peripheral surface of the edge of the container. A similar apparatus for applying adhesive is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,388,911, which issued to H. A. Fink on Nov. 13, 1945. The Fink apparatus is also designed to apply adhesive to the end portions of cylindrical containers, and contemplates rotating the cylindrical containers along a track system which brings an end of the container body into contact with a rotating adhesive roll. Like the Walter apparatus, the Fink adhesive applicator rotates the container body as it is contacted against the rotating adhesive roll thereby causing the adhesive to be directly applied to the end of the container and also depositing a portion of the adhesive along the inner wall of the container. The Fink apparatus is also adjustable for application of adhesive to cylindrical containers of various overall height.
Another adhesive applicating device for cylindrical containers is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,587, which issued to Ronald Cook on Nov. 8, 1983. The Cook adhesive applicator utilizes a pair of worm screws to effectively tilt the can or tube-style container as it contacts a rotating adhesive roll. Cook suggests that by tilting the container in this manner, more precise control of the location of the glue bead applied to the container can be achieved. An endless belt imparts rotation to the can or tube and presses it against the worm screws during the adhesive application process. By controlling the speed of the two worm screws, the tube can be tilted as desired thereby controlling the precise contact between such rotating tube and the rotating adhesive roll.
Despite the relatively wide use of automatic equipment to apply adhesive to the upper edges of cylindrical containers, there remain problems in effectively and efficiently applying adhesive to the inner edges of container ends where such containers are not cylindrical in form. In particular, heretofore there has not been an efficient and effective method and apparatus for accurately and conveniently applying adhesive to the inside edges of substantially rectangular composite cartons on high speed machinery. Prior art structures and methods relied heavily on the ability to rotate the containers in order to achieve controlled automatic application of such adhesive. In this regard, such methods and equipment failed to provide for the easy manufacture and handling of such substantially rectangular containers, or other containers having generally non-cylindrical cross-sections.